A priceless 4,000-year-old gold cape is to return to north-east Wales for the first time since it was discovered there in 1833.

The Bronze Age Mold Cape, the largest gold object found in Wales, will be exhibited in Wrexham in September.

The cape, widely regarded as one of the finest pieces of Bronze Age craftsmanship, has been painstakingly restored by the British Museum.

Culture Minister Alun Pugh said it will be at the centre of a three-month show.

Campaigners have long fought to see the artefact back in north Wales.

It was uncovered by workmen quarrying stone in a field called Bryn Yr Ellyllon, not far from what is now Mold Rugby Club's ground in 1833.

It was inside a Bronze Age burial mound together with the remains of a skeleton and some amber beads.

The Mold Cape is a unique treasure and one of the finest examples of Bronze Age gold work in existence

Culture Minister Alun Pugh

Made from a very high quality of gold, the cape weighs one kilogram and historians believe it was possibly worn as a garment for religious ceremonies by someone in authority.

It will form the centrepiece of Re-creations: Visualising our Past.

The exhibition, by the National Museums & Galleries of Wales (NMGW), looks at how the past can be reconstructed from material evidence - either physically, as in the case of the cape, or through artists' impressions.

The event has been backed by a grant from the Welsh Assembly Government's 'Sharing Treasure' scheme, which helps local museums take exhibits on loan.

Mr Pugh said he was "very proud" that the assembly government has been able to help bring the cape back to the area it was found.

Prehistoric past

"The Mold Cape is a unique treasure and one of the finest examples of Bronze Age gold work in existence," said Mr Pugh.

"I am sure there will be no shortage of visitors eager to see this fascinating piece of Wales' prehistoric past."

Wrexham Council leader Aled Roberts said he was delighted that the cape's owner, the British Museum, was lending the town's museum one of its top treasures.

The 'Re-creations' exhibition runs from 26 September until 17 December.